Wednesday, May 18, 2011

West Liberty Foods announced Tuesday that it has became the first Iowa-based business to be certified as a partner in a nationwide program with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to ensure a legal and more secure work force.

Officials with West Liberty Foods and ICE formally agreed to partner in a new program during a signing ceremony Tuesday at West Liberty Foods' corporate headquarters.

The program is a voluntary initiative intended to reduce unauthorized employment and the use of fraudulent identity documents.

To qualify, West Liberty Foods performed requirements including self-assessments of hiring practices to uncover vulnerabilities that could be exploited by illegal aliens, enrolling in employment eligibility verification programs and trained their staff to use the new screening tools.